Suni

[sunimist]

Yes it is, Joan especially with the one who is so attached.

[sunimist]

Just popping in to see how everyone is doing and report that Suni is doing so much better. Appetite has slowed, lost a few ounces, drinking near normal and she is more active. Still her sassy self. Her eye healed wonderfully and she gets around great. However though, she has become more attached to me and wants to be right with me at all times.? On the flip side, her trachea has become much worse and she coughs a lot. We are trying to control it with meds and they seem to help considerably.

I pray for all those here who are having a difficult time with their babies. It's a dreadful ordeal to go through, but we must do what we have to, and what's best, for our precious little ones. God bless you all, and my love to all the special folks on this forum sacrificing their valuable time for those in need as they travel the cushings road.

[labblab]

Oh Shelba, how great to hear from you! I’m so sorry that Suni’s still troubled by her cough, but it sounds as though everything else is on the upswing right now — WHEW!

Thanks so much for checking in, and we’ll surely be keeping our fingers crossed for you and your girls!

Love, Marianne

[sunimist]

I started my 12 pound poodle, Suni, on Adequan injections a week and half ago to try and strengthen the cartilage in her trachea. She has had a total of three injections. This morning her appetite was way down and this afternoon she has vomitted a big amount of food with clear to yellow liquid. Doesn't want anythinjg to eat. I understand this can be a side effect of Adequan.

She also has the collapsing trachea along with cushings.

My question is: how much liquid pepto can I give my 12 pound precious baby to settle her stomach, or is there something better? I went through her medicine cabinet and she has no anti-nausea meds. I am trying to wait until tomorrow to reach out to her doctor. Thank you in advance.

[labblab]

Shelba, I’m so sorry I just now saw your Pepto question this morning after you’ve probably been worrying all night! I’m afraid I don’t know the answer, though, so contacting your vet is really your best bet. I’ve been given Rx Cerenia in the past to administer for nausea, but I don’t know about other over-the-counter options. I’m so hoping that Suni’s little stomach has settled down since you wrote last night. Please let us know what the vet says, and how she’s doing today, OK?

Sending big hugs to you, and healing hugs to sweet Suni.
Marianne

[Squirt's Mom]

I wasn't on either, Shelba, and didn't see you post til just now. How is Suni this morning? My little Tilly was just diagnosed with collapsing trachea. She was put on an antibiotic who's name I can't remember and a narcotic for cough called Lonox. She stopped hacking and coughing and gagging within 1 day after starting these. She finished the AB this weekend, Fri nite was her last dose, and Sat night had one episode of hacking. BUT I had also put a little pressure on her throat that evening trying to keep a neighbor's happy-to-see-someone Pit from jumping all over us and I'm sure that had something to do with it as well. The narcotic she was taking twice a day along with the AB but I took it down to once a day when that was finished because doc said to use these "as needed". She got one last nite with her supper but not this morning and if she does ok all day I don't plan to give her one this evening. Adequan is in the plan tho if needed. I hope you sweet girl is feeling better and that her treatments help.
Hugs,
Leslie

[mytil]

Hoping her little tummy is doing better. I would contact my vet too about he dosage --- I am currently giving Cailey Pepcid (through the vets and not over the counter and also giving Cerenia to Cailey ---- have been going through a ton of stuff with her these past months. It takes at least a few days to show some relief but they both do work well with her.
Hugs,
T.

[sunimist]

I am so sorry girls, I am just now getting back here. Life stinks sometime and certainly gets in the way!!!
Suni is doing better with her stomach issue. I did contact the vet and she said she believed the antibiotic was causing her problem, so we stopped it and she did not have another vomiting episode. She said she had never had an Adequan patient present with that side effect. So with my girl, the doc knows best.

She is currently taking Theophylline, cough tabs, Hydrocodone, a throat soother, and Valium as needed. And Terry, Dr. P. did prescribe Pepcid for her.. What all is wrong with your little Cailey?

Leslie, I am so sorry Tilly has been diagnosed with collapsing trachea. It is a gut-wrenching thing to not be able to help your baby. Suni has such terrible anxiety since she can't see and she panics if i get away from her. That alone is so stressful because she just follows me around coughing. We have done all we can do for her unless she has the surgery and that is just not an option with her and her health problems. So we are hoping and praying the Adequan helps her. This is the last week for twice a week injections.
We start the once a week next week!! Relief!!

It just hurts! The radiographs spoke for themselves. She barely has any air passage in her trachea.

Also, her cushings keeps rearing it's ugly head.

Mandi is so sweet trying to take care of her. She sure loves her Suni.

So we are just here taking one day at a time, doing the best we can, praying a lot and crying a lot when Suni is not looking.

Thank y'all for caring. Means so much to me and I love all of you dearly.

[sunimist]

Good day all. Hope you are having an enjoyable sunshiny Sunday. Well, here at least!
I have something Iam going to throw out to y'all for debate, be it negative or positive, I value your knowledge more than anyone I know, and my trust in you is unmeasurable, so here goes.

I have spent several sleepless nights thinking and praying about my decision. My intentions are to start Suni on a low maintenance dose of Vetoryl without testing. I promised her no more traumatizing and unnecessary vet visits and tests and I intend to keep my promise. Everything that can be done short of surgery has been done, or is being done, for her collapsing trachea, and her eyes have been taken care of, so we are going to try for a way to alleviate some of her cushings symptoms to make breathing a little easier for her. May help, may not, but what do we have to lose? If there is something else worthy of a try, my mind is open to other options, but right now I am void of other options. I would just like to give her a more comfortable and less stressful time with what time she has left, and if I can lessen some of those cushings symptoms, I would be over the moon happy for her! I pray something grabs hold and works, but can't see it right now.

I haven't come to this conclusion lightly. My brain hurts from stressing over it, and I haven't approached the vet with this yet, but plan to tomorrow. She may fire me or she may agree. We will see!

Do y'all know anyone else that has started the drug without testing? This may be a common thing, but I have not heard of it before.

I ask your prayers that I am doing the right thing for my precious little girl and that she will benefit from it. Thank you all for listening and I do hope you will respond with your views and advice. I need it!!!

Thank you!

[labblab]

Hey Shelba, I’m so sorry that you and Suni have so many ongoing issues to be dealing with! I surely understand the toll that those sleepless nights take on both your head and your heart :-((((. I’ll be happy to give you my thoughts about the situation, but predictably (knowing me!) I have a couple of questions for you first.

I know that Cushing’s has been a huge question mark for some time now, so I went back and reread your thread again to remind myself of the presence and absence of consistent symptoms. At this point, which symptoms are present that seem most troubling for Suni, especially in terms of her trachea? In other words, what would be your most important goal with treatment?

Also, in terms of testing, are you referring to doing away with diagnostic testing, monitoring testing, or both? In terms of diagnostic testing, an ACTH stimulation test would likely be the preferred blood test since Suni has a number of physiological stressors (the ACTH is less likely than the LDDS to deliver a “false positive” in the face of nonadrenal illness). The ACTH only requires one hour between two blood draws, so that would not be an excessively long time for her to be at the vet. Some vets will actually let owners take their dogs out of the office for that intervening hour in order to reduce stress on them. Another preliminary test that wouldn’t involve a vet visit at all would be to collect urine at home to take in for analysis via a UC:CR urine test (Urine Cortisol to Creatinine Ratio). An elevated UC:CR means Cushing’s is a possibility but without being definitive. However, a normal UC:CR is virtually a guarantee that Cushing’s is not at play. So that might be a home diagnostic that you would consider.

Ongoing vet visits for continuing treatment monitoring is a different story. But as far as diagnostic testing, that should be much more limited and circumscribed. It sounds as if you have concerns about any further testing at all, though, so hopefully you can tell us a bit more about that. And as I say, let’s find out more about the symptoms you’re hoping to ease.

We’re here to talk, girl, so let’s get started!
Marianne